Choker cable locking device



April 1958 D. J. MELTON 2,829,412

CHOKER CABLE LOCKING DEVICE Filed July 24, 1956 DANIEL J. MELTON INVENTOR.

2,829,412 CHOKER CABLE LOCKING DEVICE Daniel J. Melton, Myrtle Point, Oreg.

Application July 24, 1956, No. 599,833

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-134) This invention relates to improvements in locking devices for Clausen hooks in connection with steel cables such as choker cables and the like used in logging operations wherein such hooks have heretofore been subject to displacement from set positions on the cable by violent contact with trees, stumps, rocks and the like, resulting in the loosening of the choker sling about a log or a load of logs being dragged along the ground.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a locking device of this character which can be conveniently locked to a choke cable to prevent any slippage of the Clausen hook from a sling-tight position and the resultant expansion or loosening of the sling with respect to a load carried by the sling.

The foregoing and other objects will'appear as my invention is more fully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Clausen hook and choker cable provided with alocking device made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view on an enlarged scale of the locking device shown in- Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 2 with the top 1829312 Patented Apr. 8, 1958 ing stresses on the bolts. I provide the .bottom surface of the cap along both sides of its groove 7 with longi-. tudinal and transverse grooves 10 and 11, respectively, for engagement with corresponding ridges 12 and 13 formed on and extending upwardly from the top surface of the base 4, along both sides of its groove 6.

The base 4 is recessed as at 14 for a portion of its length and Within the recess at one of its ends is attached a leaf spring 15 by means of a pin 16. The opposite end of the spring overlies the lobe portion 17 of a cam element 18 pivotally attached to the base 4 by a pin 19 extending therethrough. The cam element is formed integral with an actuating lever 20.

When the cap 5 and base 4 are secured together as a unit and attached to the cable as aforesaid and with the cam element 18 and its lever 20 in the-position shown in Figure 6, the unit is readily slidable along the cable until it comes into abutment with the Clausen hook 2 where it can be securely locked to the cable by swinging the lever 20 upwardly within the recess 14 of the base as shown in Figure 5, whereupon the leaf spring 15 will be pressed and held in locked engagement with the cable 1 by the lobe 17 of the cam. The lever 20 now concealed within the recess 14 is protected against contact with extraneous objects which might otherwise swing the lever to an unlocked position. The lever may be conveniently engaged and operated, intentionally however, by a finger of the operator within the space between the free end of the lever and the adjacent end of the recess as shown.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 7, the cap 5A is cast integral with the top portion 21 of the hook 22 and the base 4A cast integral with a bottom portion 23 of the hook. Thus the hook and lock being combined as a unit can be conveniently moved along the cable 1A. The base portion 4A, as in the 7 other form of the invention, is provided with a leaf spring half of the locking device and the cable removed therefrom.

Figure Sis a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 3 showing the locking device locked to a cable.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 5 showing the cable locking means in a released position.

Figure 7 is a side view on a slightly reduced scale'of a modified form of the invention with a fragment broken away for convenience of illustration. Referring now more particularly to the drawing:

In Figure 1 reference numeral 1 indicates a choker cable of the type used in the logging industry and provided with a slidable Clausen hook 2 engageable with a ferrule 3 secured to the terminal endof the cable and which, when engaged with the Clausen hook, will enable the cable to be drawn securely about a log or the like in the manner of a slip-knot.

Ordinarily in logging operations where the cable and load attached thereto are roughly handled under various conditions, any slack in the cable will allow the Clausen hook to back away from the load'and thereby cause the cable to loosen its grip on the load.

To obviate this difliculty, I provide a lock which comprises a base portion 4 and a cap 5 both grooved through I out their length as at 6 and 7, respectively, for attachment to the cable 1 when the cap is secured to the base by means of bolts 8 carried by the 'cap and extending into threaded openings 9 in the base. For convenience in aligning the bolts with said openings and also for strengthening the connection between the base and the cap and to prevent relative slippage and resultant sheer- 15A, cam 18A and actuating lever 20A therefore disposed within the recess 14A in the base by means of which the unit can be locked to the cable in any desired position.

While I have shown. particular forms of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. what I claimasnew and 'desire to protect by Letters Patent'is:

1. In a choker cable having a hook slidably attached thereto and a ferrule secured to one end of the cable I and engageable with said hook to form a sling, a device and a cam element pivotally attached within the recess near the opposite end thereof and engageable with said leaf spring for forcing the same into locked engagement with the cable to prevent slippage of said unit with tending laterally from said bottom portion, a cable-eugaging cap extending laterally from said top portion, said cap and base portion having matching grooves therein Having thusdescribed my invention,

leaf spring pivotally attached at one of its ends within the recess at one end thereof, and a cam element pivotally attached within the recess near the opposite end thereof and engageable with said leaf spring for forcing the same into locked engagement with the cable to prevent slippage of said unit with respect to the cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweet May 27, 1884 Herman Jan. 10, 1928 Akervick Jan. 12, 1932 

